Why doesn't the X1 Carbon have an IPS screen option? Lenovo apparently has them

The IdeaPad Yoga has a " 13.3” HD+ (1600x900) IPS display with wide viewing angle; 16:9
widescreen" multitouch screen. See http://www.lenovo.com/products/us/laptop/ideapad/yoga/yoga-13/IdeaPad-Yoga-13-datasheet.pdf or the product area at Lenovo Yoga 13 Specs | IdeaPad Laptop Tech Specs | Lenovo (US).

Why doesn't the X1 Carbon, the 20th Anniversary ThinkPad, have a premium 13.3" IPS screen?

Sigh...

 

Another instance of the left hand not knowing what the right hand is doing.

A family member recently bought an IdeaPad Y580. I watched the unboxing, then helped set up the notebook and did some "test drive" afterward. It is a completely different experience overall, like handling a product from a different company -- or, in this case, a separate division.

There are certain manufacturing QC problems, but I would point various ThinkPad deficiencies at the decision makers.

 

1. The ThinkPad and IdeaPad teams are fairly separate. The Thinkpad team is still a bunch of ex-IBM'ers working in their now-ex-IBM offices, the Ideapad design team seems to be based on China, judging from videos. They seem to exchange information (AccuType/Precision keycaps for example was probably something that was shared), but I doubt everything that the other side should be told about is actually told to the other side.
2. The X1C has a 14 inch screen, not a 13 inch screen. Maybe if the Thinkpad side knew that they had high quality 13 inch panels available, they might have gone with 13 inch instead of 14 inch (or maybe they wouldn't because they seem to hate 13 inch laptops), but the decision was made for 14 inch, and to their credit, the X1C panel is better than the T430/s 1600x900 panel, so at least they made an effort to find a good screen.

 

I'm sure Lenovo has a reason for everything they do. My guess is that Lenovo could not afford to have the Yoga screen compared unfavorably to the Retina iPad. They probably figured they could go with a lower cost, lower quality screen for the corporate purchasing agents and the X1 Carbon.



But what do I know.

 

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Are you happy with Y580 or not? Ideapad and Thinkpad are made by two distinct divisions.

 

Deleted by moderator.

 

Watch the language. We run a G rated forum.

 

The X1 Carbon has a 14 inch screen not 13 inch.

For many buyers planning on using the laptop for work this is a major draw of the machine, and what sets it apart. I would not have considered it if it had a 13 inch screen. In that case I would probably have gotten a T430s instead (which, incidentally, has a significantly worse screen to my eyes than the X1C).

 

I can not say you why the X1 Carbon don´t get IPS. But I can say you why the Yoga gets IPS: Because it has a Touchscreen and the Tablet Mode. And TN Displays on Tablets is really mostly unusual.

 

I just wish someone would wake up and realize we want better screen options for the 14" T and X Series machines. I would settle for 13.3".

 

A 14" screen is a sweet spot for everything. Same reason why the early model Dell Latitudes were very popular for a long time. a 13.3 is a compromise. I find the MacBook Air's a little difficult to use compared to a 14" or a 15".

My point being, Lenovo might not have had the volume of scale to support a cheap 14" screen.

1) No one else uses them
2) Someone started making those cheap 13.3 screens

 

This brings up an interesting point. Is there any movie-worthy 14" display? I have used several Latitudes and their displays are pretty about average

 

The Alienware M14x has a very good 14" screen.

 

+1,000,000